Because i know who you are
by Sam-453
Summary: COMPLETE Chapter 3 up!Hermione gets attacked by deatheaters in hogsmeade, and someone unexpected comes to her rescue.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: you ALL know I don't own harry potter.

Note: This is a little something I wrote ages ago. I have to give you a major fluff warning!! Also, it only has three chapters. I just decided to post it cos my friend ( a total HP obsessive) read it and said it was really cute… so anyway, here it is. Its after book 4, so I guess it'd be during book 5, but I wrote it before book 5 came out.

Anyway, enjoy.

Chapter 1

"Oh, damn it!" Hermione said as the approached the road back up to school.

            "What now?" Ron moaned.

            "I forgot, there's I book I was gonna get… I'll run back, you guys go up, and I'll meet you back at school." Ron and Harry starred open mouthed,

            "We aren't supposed to be down here alone Hermione."

            "I'll just be a second." She said, turning round and running back into Hogsmeade.

            "We should really stop being surprised when she breaks school rules." Harry said, still looking down the road after her.

            "Hmm, you'd have thought we'd have gotten used to it by now." They shrugged, and continued back up to school.

            Hermione raced back through Hogsmeade and into the small bookshop there. She went right to the back, where the few muggle books were kept, and searched for the latest Phillip Pullman, even as she smiled to herself imagining Ron's reaction to her reading fictional books about magic and alternate dimensions. She found the book she was looking for and paid for it. As she stood by the counter, she nearly missed the blond haired boy who walked past her to the same section she'd been in. She smiled wryly, _well I never_, she thought, watching as Draco Malfoy searched through the rows of muggle books: _Ron and Harry will love this_. She left the shop, still smiling to herself, and stopped dead in her tracks as a piercing scream filled the town. Hermione looked in the appropriate direction, and saw people fleeing from the five black-cloaked figures walking down the centre of the street, wearing masks. _Deatheaters!_ Hermione thought. As she turned to run, another girl rushed past, knocking her to the ground. Hermione hit her head, and her vision blurred. Trying to clear her head, Hermione looked up to find the dark figures closing in, only metres away. She scrambled to her feet, but could barely keep her balance, let alone run. A deep, grainy voice sounded out from behind one of the masks,

            "The dark lord is risen, mudbloods and muggles will finally fall!" the leading deatheater raised his wand, pointing directly at Hermione, "Crucio!" as her body was wracked with indescribable pain, Hermione felt a weight hit her, and someone grabbed her wrist, dragging her into a side street, out of the range of the curse. The person had their other arm around her, supporting her as they helped her run. The pair didn't stop running until they were out of Hogsmeade and just inside the Hogwarts grounds. Even inside the grounds, they hid to one side, and Hermione slid to the ground, her head pounding.

            "Are you ok?" her rescuer asked, his voice seeming miles away. She held her head in her hands in an attempt to still her vision.

            "I will be… if you'd just tell the landscape to stop spinning…" 

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Hermione lifted her head to finally see who it was that had saved her. Her eyes flew wide, and her jaw actually dropped. "Malfoy!?" she shook her head, surely she still wasn't seeing right. When she looked again, Malfoy was still there, looking genuinely worried and slightly…apologetic?  "Malfoy… but why?" 

Now he just frowned,

            "They were gonna kill you." He said simply. She nodded,

            "Well duh. But… I thought you hated me?" Now he smiled slightly, seeing what she meant,

            "Hey, you're a… muggle born Griffindor; it's kinda my job." He was pleased to see he'd made her smile. "But I don't want you _dead_."

            "But isn't your dad…?" Malfoy hung his head,

            "Just because that's what my dad is, doesn't mean I am too… I know I've said things… I guess I've done things too… but it was all just pissing around… I never figured… I guess I never really thought it would ever come to this. Name calling, playing pranks… that one thing. Killing people is totally different." Hermione smiled sympathetically at this whole different side to Malfoy. She was sure he hadn't even intended to say any of it – he was in shock, just as much as her.

            "Malfoy, I… I didn't realise." 

He shrugged,

            "Anyway, are you ok? Cos we should get back to school before someone comes looking and my rep. is totally smashed." 

Hermione grinned at him,

            "Yeah, I'm ok. What should I say? I just ran?" 

He nodded. She cocked her head to one side, "Y'know Malfoy, you really aren't as bad as you put on."

            "Whoa there Granger, just cos I saved your life, don't go getting any ideas that I'm a decent person. I really don't go for this 'good at heart' crap."

            "Oh god no, never." She smiled. Hermione wasn't sure if she was more shocked or pleased that he smiled back, almost laughed.

            "Come on, I'll stay with you until we see anyone else." He said, helping her to stand. As they approached the front steps, Hermione paused, so that Malfoy could go ahead, and it wouldn't look like they were together. He glanced back once to be sure she was still standing, and continued.

            "Malfoy?" Hermione called out at the last second. He turned, eyebrows raised in question. "Thanks." She said with a tilt of her head. He gave her a last half-smile and entered the school. Hermione waited long enough for him to have reached the dungeons, then headed straight for Dumbledore's office.

That evening, after lots of fussing, and Madame Pomfrey finally being convinced she wasn't about to drop dead, Hermione returned to the common room, where Ron and Harry sat together looking very worried.

            "Hermione!" Ron cried as she walked in, leaping out of his seat. She smiled softly, and joined them.

            "Are you ok? McGonagall told us what happened, but we weren't allowed to come see you!" Harry asked.

            "Yeah, I'm ok." She assured them. "Just a bit wobbly."

            "Is it true, though?" Ron asked eagerly. "That they used…?"

            "Cruciatus? Yeah." She replied. Harry winced sympathetically,

            "God, 'mione." He said, "We shouldn't have let you go back… or if we'd gone with you…"

            "Harry, I really am ok." She said with a slight laugh.

            "What d'you go back for, anyway?" Ron asked. Hermione smiled, and showed him the book. He rolled his eyes, "Oh, lord!" he cried, "You nearly got killed for the raving's of some lunatic that doesn't have the first clue what magic even is!" Hermione grinned as this was almost word for word to what she'd expected. She and Harry shook their heads, and they continued to talk long into the night as they often did. Hermione kept her word, and didn't mention a word of Malfoy's involvement in the afternoon's excitement.


	2. Draco

Thanx for all the reviews! I didn't realise you guys wud like this so much! 

And HI Aneeka!!! I didn't know u read fanfiction! And I have no clue how u knew this was me!? But, hey, im not complaining!! Thank you!!

So on with the story!!

Chapter 2 

The next day, Hermione was in the library, writing the essay the boys had finished the day before while she'd, in Ron words, 'been running around getting herself shot at by deatheaters'. She'd searched the entire library for the book she knew would be the best help for this essay, but had found every copy already checked out. So she was sitting at one of the tables, trying her best to write it from memory (she had of course already read that book once or twice). After an hour and a half, she'd got most of it, but knew something was missing. It was when she was sitting there, desperately trying to remember paragraph three of page 137, that Draco Malfoy walked in, and found that the only seats left in the whole place were on the table in the far corner, which was only occupied by one person. He tried not to look at her as he sat down across from Hermione, but was a little annoyed when she didn't even seem to notice him. A few minutes later, she sighed heavily, and glanced over at Malfoy. Without actually looking up at him, she said,

            "You wouldn't happen to have a copy of Margo Foxglove's 'Tremendous transfriguration', would you?"

            "I hope you don't think that just cos I'm not a death eater, I'm gonna actually be _nice_ to Griffindors." He said, also not looking at her.

            "I'd never even consider it." She said, 

            "Good." Malfoy replied, and slid the book across the table. Hermione flicked to the right page, and smiled as she remembered the passage. She finished the essay, and slid the book back to Malfoy. Then she just sat back in her chair, and looked at him: the mystery that was Draco Malfoy. After a minute, he looked up, "What?"

            "Nothing." Hermione shrugged. He frowned and went back to his essay. "So you read muggle books?" Hermione ventured a minute later. His head snapped up,

            "No. Who told you that?" 

She smiled,

            "Don't worry, your precious rep. is still in tact. I saw you, in the book shop, yesterday."

            "Oh… well, it wasn't for me. It was for… Goyle." 

Hermione laughed,

            "Uh-huh. Cos Goyle's ever read a book in his life."

            "Course he has." 

She raised her eyebrows,

            "Like…?" After a pause, Malfoy answered

            " 'Spot the Dog'. 'My first ABC book'…" He grinned, and Hermione laughed out loud.

            "It's not something to be ashamed of, Malfoy. What's wrong with reading books?" He shrugged,

            "My father would flip."

            "Then your father is an idiot. No offense, of course." Malfoy shook his head,

            "None taken. But he isn't stupid. He's just… hell, I don't even know what he is." 

Hermione sat forward, placing her hand on top of his before he could move away,

            "It doesn't mean anything, Malfoy. You don't have to be like him. In fact, you aren't just 'Malfoy'. You're Draco, not Lucius. You can be whatever you want to be." He didn't pull away, but he didn't meet her eyes either.

            "It's not that simple." He said in barely more then a whisper. "My family… the people they work with, and for… it's not that easy to escape them… I'm Malfoy, whether I like it or not."

            "Yeah, and that what everyone thinks, cos that's all you show them!" Hermione answered, frustrated. "You bitch and insult, you taunt and hurt, all so that no one will look close enough to see who you really are." Now Malfoy pulled his hand back and began to pack up his stuff quickly. As he stood, Hermione caught hold of his wrist. Without looking at her, he said quietly, his voice laced with sorrow even as he tried to fill it with spite,

            "That's who I _am_." And he tried to walk away, but Hermione held on. He turned, meeting her eyes involuntarily.

            "Not to me… Draco." And she let go. For a moment, he just stayed there, looking at her. Then he whispered,

            "Then I'm sorry." And walked away. Hermione collapsed back in her chair, starring at the rows of books opposite, and trying to work out why she felt so empty.

----

Only one more chapter to go, and I promise even more fluff. I musta been in a way soppy mood when I wrote this!! 


	3. The sun and the moon

Here we go, the last instalment of one of the biggest bits of fluff I've ever written!! 

Hope you like it. Please review!

Chapter 3 

            For over a month, Hermione only saw Malfoy in lessons, and found it impossible to let go of the disappointment she felt every time he walked by without so much as looking at her. She kept telling herself it was stupid, that he was still the same old nasty Malfoy, but every time she did, she just saw the pain he'd had in his eyes when he spoke of his father. Could it really be that the Malfoy everyone knew was just the projection of what his father wanted in a son, what he had been bought up to believe he should be? Harry and Ron constantly questioned her mood, but generally decided it must still be shock from the attack.

            As Christmas approached, there was another Hogsmeade weekend, and the students went down again accompanied by plenty of staff members on full alert. By now, Hermione appeared back to her normal self, and largely, she was, but as she browsed the muggle section of the bookshop, she came across a new book, the next one in the series of the book she'd seen Malfoy choose that day. Without really thinking too much about it, she bought the book and shoved it to the bottom of her bag. 

            The Christmas holidays came, and the majority of the students left. Ron and Hermione stayed back with Harry, and as the only girl left in her room, Hermione was rather glad of the peace.

             On Christmas day, the friends opened presents early in the morning, and chatted happily all the way down to breakfast, the smells of bacon, eggs, and sausages cooking circulating round the school. 

            Sitting with Crabbe and Goyle, the only other Slytherin fifth years to have stayed in school, Malfoy talked with them about various presents their parents had sent, and was generally normal Malfoy. When the post came, he was surprised to see an owl swoop down towards him, as his parents had already sent all his presents. He caught the small package and looked at the name on it. 'Draco M.' he frowned and was about to open it, when he felt the edges. It was a book. Now who would… he looked up to where Potter and his friend's were sitting at the Gryfindor table. Weasley and Potter were facing away from him, but Granger, on the other side of the table, looked up when she sensed his gaze. She only looked for a second, but Malfoy was sure he'd seen the slightest of smiles sent his way. He paused for a second, and pocketed the parcel.

            Later, when he was alone in his room, as Crabbe and Goyle were still stuffing their faces after Christmas lunch, Malfoy took out the parcel again. Stripping the brown paper, he found a layer of brightly coloured Christmas paper. Removing this too, he found the book that no one else knew he would even touch, and a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it, and read the short note,

            Because I know who you are. Merry Christmas.

-H.G xxx

Malfoy carefully folded the note and slipped it into the cover of the book. Then he sat back, head against the wall, just starring into space, and smiled his first genuine smile for many days.

            That night, Harry and Ron suggested that Hermione came into the boys room, as they were the only boys left too, but she said she was too tired, she just wanted to go to bed. 

            Hermione sat in her bed, reading a muggle book Ron had bought her as a joke. As midnight drew near, she closed the book, looked to the window, and sighed, blonde hair still filling her minds eye. _God I'm pathetic_, she thought. She put the light out, put down the book, and pulled her covers up to her chin. 

What seemed like only moments after she'd shut her eyes, Hermione sat up to a tapping sound at her window. She turned the light back on and crept to the window to see an owl hovering just outside. She opened the window quickly, and the bird dropped a small package into her hands, before flying off, obviously annoyed to be sent out on such a cold night. Hermione closed the window and scrambled back under the warm covers, all the time looking at the small parcel in her hand. She unwrapped it to find a small, dark green, velvety box. She opened this, and a small piece of paper fell out, revealing a beautiful silver pendant in the shape of a sun and a cresent moon, with a tiny red stone at the centre of the sun, and a blue one at the bottom of the moon. Her breath catching in her throat, Hermione retrieved the slip of paper and read,

                        Because I know you know, and it means more to me than the sun or the moon.

               Merry Christmas.

- Draco

Hermione bit her lip slightly, and put the necklace on, knowing this present meant more to her than all the others put together, because it meant that all this hoping had not been in vain… Draco was way more than just a Malfoy.

A couple of days later, Hermione was sitting on a window seat in the corner of the Library, reading a book, when Draco came to sit beside her.

"Hey, Granger." He said mock spite lacing the words.

"What do _you_ want?" she grinned.

"To say… thanks." He said in his natural voice.

"You too." She smiled.

"Then you liked it?" he asked eagerly. She nodded, unzipping the top of her jumper to reveal the pendant.

"It's beautiful." She said. Draco smiled broadly and bought out two books, one a dark arts textbook, the other the book she sent him.

"How did you know?"

"It's the one after the one you were looking at when I saw you before." She shrugged.

"Well thanks. It's perfect."

"What's with the textbook?" she asked.

"Got to look after my rep. don't I?" he smiled, laying the novel inside the textbook so it appeared he was reading up on dark arts.

"That's pathetic!" Hermione giggled. "Don't you think the fact you're sitting with a Gryffindor will be a little more damaging?" 

Draco smirked,

            "I think I'll survive." He said

THE END. ***Grins* **fluff fluff fluff etc!!


End file.
